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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 497
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Sep. 30, 2013
Entity Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName VIRTUS OPPORTUNITIES TRUST
Entity Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0001005020
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol vot
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Jan. 29, 2014
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Jan. 30, 2014
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jan. 28, 2014
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector® Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading
Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock
The fund has an investment objective of capital appreciation. In pursuing this objective, the fund maintains an emphasis on preservation of capital.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading
Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Mutual Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and under Sales Charges on page 214 of the funds prospectus and Alternative Purchase Arrangements on page 104 of the funds statement of additional information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading
Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the funds portfolio turnover rate was 194% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 194.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block] rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock
Generally, Class A Shares are not subject to any charges by the Fund when redeemed; however, a contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions (i) within 18 months on exchanges from a Virtus non-money market fund into a Virtus money market fund; and (ii) on purchases on which a finder’s fee has been paid. The 18-month period begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made. The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts
You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Mutual Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 50,000
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text] rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent
Restated to reflect current expenses.
Expenses Not Correlated to Ratio Due to Acquired Fund Fees [Text] rr_ExpensesNotCorrelatedToRatioDueToAcquiredFundFees
The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expense to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading
Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the funds operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place only for the period indicated. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock
The fund allocates net assets to U.S. Equity and International Equity. Allocations within each asset class are based on proprietary quantitative models.
The U.S. Equity allocation may be invested in ETFs and/or securities representing the primary sectors of the S&P 500®  Index. The primary sectors of the S&P 500® Index are: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, materials, technology, and utilities. The International Equity allocation may be invested in ETFs and/or securities representing both developed markets (EAFE) and emerging markets. The fund may also invest in stocks (without restriction as to market capitalization) and short-term securities. The fund may invest in a basket of securities to represent a sector if it determines that investment in the ETF for that sector is not feasible or otherwise not in the best interest of the fund. The fund may also deviate from a model allocation if it is determined that tracking the model allocation is likely to violate applicable legal or regulatory restrictions or otherwise result in adverse consequences for the fund. In times of market weakness, the fund has the ability to move partially or fully to short-term cash equivalents.
Under normal circumstances, the fund intends to allocate at least 40% of its assets to ETFs and/or securities representative of non-U.S. markets. Through its investment in these ETFs and/or securities, the funds exposure to non-U.S. markets will be diversified among countries and will have represented the business activities of a number of different countries.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading
Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock
The fund may not achieve its objective, and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. In addition, you will also be subject to the risks associated with the principal investment strategies of any ETFs in which the fund invests. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
 
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  • Emerging Market Investing Risk. The risk that prices of emerging markets securities will be more volatile, or will be more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.
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  • Equity Securities Risk. The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests, will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
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  • Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Risk. The risk that the value of an ETF will be more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities the ETF is designed to track, or that the costs to the fund of owning shares of the ETF will exceed those the fund would incur by investing in such securities directly.
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  • Fund of Funds Risk. The risk that the underlying funds in which the fund invests will expose the fund to negative performance and additional expenses associated with investment in such funds, and increased volatility.
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  • Foreign Investing Risk. The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations or economic, political or other developments.
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  • Market Volatility Risk. The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
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  • Model Portfolio Risk. The risk that investments selected using quantitative models may perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance. There can be no assurance that use of a quantitative model will enable the fund to achieve positive returns or outperform the market.
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  • Portfolio Turnover Risk. The risk that the fund’s principal investment strategies will result in a consistently high portfolio turnover rate. See the Portfolio Turnover section above for more information about the impact that portfolio turnover can have on fund performance.
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  • Sector Focused Investing Risk. The risk that events negatively affecting a particular industry or market sector in which the fund focuses its investments will cause the value of the fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly. To the extent that the fund invests a significant portion of its portfolio in ETFs representing one or more of the primary sectors of the S&P 500 ® Index (such as consumer discretionary, energy, healthcare) or in an ETF representing U.S. Treasuries, the fund is more vulnerable to conditions that negatively affect such sectors as compared to a fund that is not significantly invested in such sectors.
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  • U.S. Government Securities Risk. The risk that U.S. Government securities in the fund’s portfolio will be subject to price fluctuations, or that an agency or instrumentality will default on an obligation not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney
If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the funds investments decreases, you will lose money.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading
Performance Information
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The funds past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
 
The bar chart shows the funds performance from year to year over the life of the fund. The table shows how the fundaverage annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index and a more narrowly-based benchmark that reflects the market sectors in which the fund invests. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns
The bar chart shows the funds performance from year to year over the life of the fund. The table shows how the fundaverage annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index and a more narrowly-based benchmark that reflects the market sectors in which the fund invests.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone 800-243-1574
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress virtus.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
 
Annual Return (%)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
 
Best Quarter:
 
 
Q4/2013:
 
 
7.21%
 
 
Worst Quarter:
 
 
Q2/2012:
 
 
-1.94%
 
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/13)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred
Actual after-tax returns depend on the investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. 
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown
After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher
In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock
The S&P 500® Index is a free-float market capitalization-weighted index of 500 of the largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total return basis with dividends reinvested. The MSCI World Index (net) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures developed global market equity performance. The index is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. The indexes are unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund | Class A
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol VGPAX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00% [1]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.10%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.36% [2]
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.25% [3]
Recapture of Previously Waived Expenses vot_RecaptureOfPreviouslyWaivedExpenses 0.04%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 2.00%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 766
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 1,166
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,591
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,768
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 766
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 1,166
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,591
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,768
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 11.26%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 19.05%
Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2013
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 7.21%
Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel
Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2012
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (1.94%)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 12.20%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.97%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 15, 2011
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund | Class C
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol VGPCX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00% [4]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.10%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00% [5]
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.36% [2]
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.25% [3]
Recapture of Previously Waived Expenses vot_RecaptureOfPreviouslyWaivedExpenses 0.04%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.75%
Less: Fee Waiver rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.03%) [5]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 2.72%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 375
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 844
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,440
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 3,051
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 275
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 844
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,440
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 3,051
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 18.35%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.49%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 15, 2011
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund | Class I
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol VGPIX
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.10%
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.36% [2]
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.25% [3]
Recapture of Previously Waived Expenses vot_RecaptureOfPreviouslyWaivedExpenses 0.04%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.75%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.75%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 178
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 551
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 949
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,062
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 178
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 551
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 949
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,062
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 19.43%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 9.53%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 15, 2011
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class A
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 11.29%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.64%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 15, 2011
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class A
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Fund Shares
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.25%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.41%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 15, 2011
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund | S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 32.39%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 16.46%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 15, 2011
Virtus Global Premium AlphaSector Fund | MSCI World Index (net)(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel MSCI World Index (net)(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 26.68%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 12.49%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 15, 2011
[1] Generally, Class A Shares are not subject to any charges by the Fund when redeemed; however, a contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions (i) within 18 months on exchanges from a Virtus non-money market fund into a Virtus money market fund; and (ii) on purchases on which a finder's fee has been paid. The 18-month period begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made.
[2] Restated to reflect current expenses.
[3] The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expense to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
[4] The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
[5] The fund's distributor has contractually agreed to waive its 12b-1 fees applicable to Class C Shares to the extent that the fund's investments in underlying ETFs with their own 12b-1 fees would otherwise cause the total 12b-1 fees paid directly or indirectly by the fund to exceed the limits set forth in applicable law or regulation.